Cockpit sealing system



y 1953 R. c. HORNE ET AL COCKPIT SEALING SYSTEM Filed March 7, 1951 2. Sheets-Sheet l R. C. HORNE ET AL COCKPIT SEALING SYSTEM May 12 1953 Filed March '7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 12, 1953 I COCKPIT SEALING SY STEM Richard 0. Home, Dallas, and David F. Stoddard, Arlington, Tex., assignors to United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, Conn, a.

tion of Delaware corpora- Application March '7, 1951, Serial No. 214,322

Claims. 1

This invention relates to aircraft and more particularly to sealing systems for hermetically sealing the joint between a closure and a fixed structure, such as the joint between the cockpit canopy and the fuselage of an aircraft.

While it is necessary to pressurize the cockpit cabin in a modern aircraft which is designed to fly at high altitudes, the cockpit canopy in the aircraft must be capable of being easily opened and closed under normal conditions at low altitudes. However, at altitudes of around ten thousand feet or higher when the cockpit must be pressurized, it is necessary that there be an air.- tight seal between the movable cockpit canopy and the main aircraft structure in order to maintain the pressurized condition of the cockpit cabin. It has been a problem to provide a suitable airtight seal between the movable'cockpit canopy and the contiguous fuselage. Moreover, since aircraft pilots must operate a great many varied systems, particularly in military aircraft, it is advisable that as many ordinary systems be automatically controlled as possible in order to free th pilots attention for non-routine duties. The system for making thev seal between the canopy and the fuselage airtight when the cockpit is to be pressurized should, therefore, operate automatically.

This invention provides a novel system for automatically effecting an airtight seal between the canopy of an aircraft and the aircraft fuselage. It includes a pressure line leading from a source of pressurized gas in the aircraft, for example, a compressor, through a filter and reducing valve to the inlet port of a barometric valve. The valve contains a damper or gate secured to a Sylphon type bellows and in response to variations in ambient pressure, regulates the flow of gas to a hollow expansible tube or bead of rubber or rubber-like material extending around the periphery of the cockpit in the spac between the canopy and the fuselage. to automatically open and close at pre-set altitudes. When the canopy is closed and latched, the valve opens at a set altitud and compressed air is allowed to flow into the rubber bead. This expands the bead which thereby fills the space between the canopy and the fuselage and forms an airtight seal between them. When the valve closes upon the aircrafts descent to a lower altitude, the air in the bead is allowed to escape deflating the bead. When the bead is deflated, there is again a space between the canopy and the fuselage. the canopy with a minimum of frictional resistance and wear on the expansible bead.

The valve is set This permits easy movement of" 2 It is an object of this invention to provide a means for hermetically sealing the joint between a closure for an aperture in a fixed structure and the fixed structure.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means for hermetically sealing an aircraft cockpit.

Another object of this invention is to provid a means for automatically providing a hermetic seal between the sliding section of an aircraft canopy and the contiguous stationary aircraft fuselage at any predetermined altitude.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a means for automatically breaking the hermetic seal between an aircraft movable canopy and the contiguous aircraft fuselage at any preselected altitude thereby allowing the canopy to be easily opened with a minimum amount of frictional resistance and wear on the sealing means.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims, and from'the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. '1 is a perspective view of a portion of an aircraft cockpit, an aircraft cockpit movable canopy, and the hermetic sealing system of the invention for sealing the joint between the cockpit and the canopy;

Fig. 2 is a side view on a larger scale of the barometric valve and the means for connecting the pressure line mounted on the aircraft fixed structure to the pressure line mounted on the aircraft canopy movable section, the pressure lines being shown in disconnected positions;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the expansible tube and the aircraft structure contiguous thereto taken along line III-III of Fig. l with the expansible bead in a collapsed condition;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the barometric valve with a portion thereof cut away; and

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the barometric valve.

Fig. 1 indicates the cockpit section of an air plane fuselage (0 having a windshield l2 and a slidingv enclosure or canopy M. The canopy is mounted to the airplane structure on each side of its forward end by means of pairs of rollers l6 which engage the tracks I! longitudinally disposed on each side of the cockpit section. The canopy is also attached at a point along a longitudinal center line and intermediate its fore and aft ends to the double track assembly It by the canopy carrier generally indicated at 20. The canopy carrier 20 is a rigid part of the canopy ally indicated at 28 and which may be of a" type described in the aforementioned Patent No.

As shown in Fig. 3, the canopy i4 is mounted on the fuselage it so as to leave a space 30 between the canopy periphery and the-fuselage edge. 1

32 contiguous thereto in order that the canopy will be freely slidable. When the airplane flies at high altitudes and the cockpit must be pressurized, it is apnalentthat the space 30 must be closed and a hermetic seal provided between the canopy Hi and the fuselage edge 32. To effect these results an expansible hollow bead or tube 34 having a solid flange 36 is rigidly secured to the canopy frame structure 38 in a channel member 40 by bolts 42 extending through aligned apertures in the structure 38, member W, and flange 3E. Bead 34 extends around the periphery of the canopy and when the hollow cavity 43 is expanded, fills the space at thereby providing a hermetic seal between the canopy it and the surrounding fuselage edge 32. However, when head 34 is in its normal state, i. e., when the hol low portion is not expanded, the space M is evident and movement of the canopy is unrestricted by friction between the head around the canopy edge and the fuselage edge. Since it is obvious that this bead should never be expanded unless the canopy is closed and latched'and that the canopy should not be moved unless the bead is deflated, it is apparent that no frictional wear of bead 34 will occur. Bead 34 may be attached to the canopy as shown or to the fuselage edge 32, and it may be endless or have hermetically sealed ends as design requirements may dictate. The head may be caused to expand by the introduction of compressed gas from any suitable source of gas under pressure.

In order that the bead may be allowed to expand only when the aircraft is at or above a predetermined altitude at which the cockpit is to be pressurized, a barometric valve 32 is provided. Valve 42 is connected to a source of gas under pressure, such as a compressor (not shown), by a a pressure line 44 which carries the gas through a conventional filter 4E and a pressure reducing valve 47. Leading from valve 42 is a pressure line 48 which is connected to the hollow bead 3d so as to convey from valve 42 pressurized gas into the hollow cavity 43.

The components of the barometric valve 42 shown in Figs. d and 5 will be explained in the order of their assembly. The Sylphon type bellowsifl is cylindrical in shape having two flat ends 52 and 5d. Bellows contains gas under reduced pressure and is sealed at end 54 by a inched tail segment 55 extending from. a threaded member 58 contiguous to bellows end 54. Positioned against bellows end he is a flat disk 80. having a diameter greater than end 541 and containing an aperture E2 in its center through which the threaded member 53 and tail segment 56 protrude. A cylindrical sleeve 54 having an inner diameter less than that of disk 60, an outer diameter greater than that of disk 60, and a length greater than the bellows ES encloses the bellows 56. Sleeve 64 has outside threaded portions lit and 558 at each cf its ends. A flat washer ring 79 having an outside diameter the same as that of disk 60 is positioned adjacent thereto. A rim 72 having an inner threaded portion 14 adapted to mesh with threaded portion 655 of sleeve 64 is positioned over ring it and disk 69 and is engaged with sleeve 5 thereby clamping disk $0 and ring ill tightly between flange E5 of rim i2 and sleeve 64. A U-shaped bracket it for securing valve 4?; to the aft side of bulkhead 24 has an aperture 18 in the base portion 8d of the U. Threaded member 58 extends through disk aperture 82, washer ill, rim '52, and bracket aper- .-ture l8 and is rigidly secured to bracket l by a washer 32 and locking nut 84 which is screwed on the threaded member 53. Bracket 73 has two flanges 86 and 88 which extend perpendicular to arms 90. and 92 respectively of the U-shaped bracket; These flanges and 88 contain apertures 94 through which threaded bolts 9% (Fig. 2) extend to which nuts 98 are threaded to secure bracket 16 t0 bulkhead 24. By this means bellows 50 is rigidly secured within sleeve lid and also rigidly secured to bulkhead 24.

A plunger lei) having a threaded end portion Hi2 which engages a threaded bore Hi3 provided in end 52 of bellows 59 has two radially extending flanges HM and Hit located along its longitudinal axis. Through the non-threaded aft end of plunger mo extends a vertical and axial slot 108. A-resilient washer H2 having an outer diameter the same as flange Hi l is positioned against the aft (right hand) side of flange ltd as seen in Fig. 4. Flange 1% has a flat portion H3 on its uppermost side. Against the aft side of flange M6 is positioned a resilient washer i It having an outer diameter the same as that of flange H95.

Valve member I It has a main hollow cylindrical body, the forward portion Ht of which has a larger inner diameter than that of an aft portion 20. Member Hi3 has at its forward end an in-- tegral radially extending circular flange i which has an outer diameter the same as that of disk 61!. In flange iZZ are located plurality of apertures I24. Integral with member He is a cylindrical hollow boss lid for inlet port 525a which extends downwardly from the bottom surface of member H6 perpendicular to member I His longitudinal axis From the top surface of member H 6 extends a similar outlet port boss I26 for outlet port lZBa. Pressure line M, from the compressor is rigidly and hermetically secured to boss I25 by a conventional coupling i255?) (Fig. 2) and the pressure line 8 to the hollow bead is similarly'connected to boss i 12$ by coupling [251). A hollow cylindrical tube i2? is snu ly fitted within the aft end of portion Hit of member H6 and is rigidly secured there by a pin I28 extending through aligned apertures itii located in the top and bottom of member l 16 and apertures E32 located in the top and bottom of tube I21. An exhaust aperture i3 1 extends through the. upper wall of portion i ii] of member H6.

Plunger I00 extends through member He which is positioned with its flanged portion l22 against the aft. end of sleeve 64. The washer H2 is positioned between flange I04 of plunger H10. and a shoulder 136 which is caused by the difference in the inner diameters of portions H3 and I20, Washer H4 is positioned between flange Illa-oi plunger I00 and the, end I38 of tube -121. The forward end I38 of tube I21 is secured within member II6 between the valve ports I2-5a and I260 and the aft end of member. II 6. The

inner diameter of tube I21 is such as to allow the slotted end of plunger I to move easily within it, but having a close enough fit with plunger. I00 so as to act as an aligning guide therefor. The'pin I28 rides within slot I08 thereby keeping plunger I00 from turning about its longitudinal axis. Rim I40 has a flange MI and an inner threaded portion I42 which meshes with threaded portion 66 of sleeve 64 and thereby secures washer I44 and the flanged portion I22 of member I I6 to sleeve 64.

The opening and closing of the ports I25a and I26a and the exhaust aperture I34 is controlled by the degree of expansion or contraction of bellows 50. Plunger I00 is the damper or gate of valve 42 and moves along its longitudinal axis as bellows 50 expands or contracts, the threaded end I02 of plunger I00 being screwed into threaded bore I03 of bellows 50. Bellows 50 is actuated by the differential in pressure between that of the gas sealed within the bellows and the atmospheric pressure on the outside of the bellows. The atmospheric pressure acts upon bellows 50 through the apertures I24 of flange I22. The pressure at which valve 42 will open or close is controlled by the adjustment of plunger Ill within the bore I03. When bellows 50 expands, plunger I00 is caused to move aft (to the right in Fig. 5) thereby positioning flange I06 and washer II4 against end I38. This causes washer II4 to be deformed, sealing the space between flange I06 and end I 38. Likewise, washer II2 forms a seal between flange I 04 and shoulder I36. With the plunger I00 so positioned, ports I25a and I261; are open and exhaust aperture I34 is closed thereby allowing the pressurized gas entering through line 44 to pass through port I25a, the space provided between plunger I00 and the inner surface of member H6 in portion I20, port I26a, line 48 and into the hollow cavity 43 of bead 34. When bellows 50 contracts and plunger I00 is'caused to move forward within member II6, flange I06 covers inlet port I25a, flange I04 uncovers aperture I34, and flat portion II3 of flange I06 is positioned under port I26a. When plunger I00 is in this position, port I25'a is closed and the pressurized gas in the expansible bead is allowed to escape from hollow cavity 43 and line 48 through port I26o, between fiat portion H3 of flange I06 and the inner surface of member H6 and exhausts to. the atmosphere through aperture I34.

To illustrate the operation of the system, assume a hypothetical case where it is desired to pressurize the cockpit cabin of the aircraft when the atmospheric pressure corresponds to the pressure normal at an altitude of ten thousand feet. With the aircraft canopy I4 closed and latched, when the aircraft ascends to the altitude of ten thousand feet, the valve 42, having been set to open at that altitude, opens. Compressed air bled from the aircraft compressor is filtered by the filter 46 and has its pressure regulated to ten pounds per square inch by regulator valve 41. Valve 42 being open, theco-mpressed air flows through it and line 48 into the hollow portion 43 of bead 34.. Bead 34 is expanded by the compressed air and effects 'a hermetic seal between the movable canopy I4 and the fuselage edge 32. The independently operated cabin pressurizing system may now be actuated by the pilot to pressurize the cabin.

When the aircraft descends to below ten thou: sand feet valve 42 closes. The closing of'valve 42 cuts off the compressed air from the compressor and opens the exhaust aperture I34. This allows thepressurized air in bead 34 and the connecting line 48 between the head 34 and valve port I26a to exhaust through port I26a over portion H3 and out aperture I34. When the pressurized air is exhausted from bead 34, bead 34 assumes a collapsed position thereby breaking contact with edge 32 of the fuselage. The canopy may now be opened and closed easily and with no frictional wear of the expansible bead 34.

It will be noted that valve 42 may be located, either inside or outside the cockpit pressurized area. If'it is located outside, it is apparent that its operation will not be afiected by the cockpit pressurization. Likewise, if it is located within the pressurized cockpit area, it will not be affected inasmuch as it is customary practice for the pilot not to pressurize the cockpit until the altitude having the critical atmospheric pressure at which the valve is to operate is exceeded and the cockpit is depressurized by the pilot on descending before that altitude is reached. In addition, the pressure in the pressurized cockpit area never exceeds the critical pressure value of the valve. 1 If the bead 34 is attached to the fuselage edge 32, any suitable type pressure line may be used v to connect hollow cavity 43 of the bead directly to the valve, filter, and source of pressurized gas. If, however, the bead 34 is attached to the canopy edge as shown in the drawings, the problem of connecting the bead with the pres-, surized gas source and still allowing the canopy to remain movable is evident. A solution to this problem is the connection I50 between the two portions 152 and I54 of line 48 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Portion I52 has one of its ends secured to'boss I26 of valve 42 while its other end is positioned through an aperture I56 in the base plate I58 of a U-shaped bracket I60 and terminates in a threaded tubular member I62. Bracket I60 is rigidly secured to the aft side of bulkhead 24' by nuts and bolts I84 and resiliently supports member I62. Member I62 is positioned within an aperture I66 in a plate I68 and is there rigidly secured by nuts I10 threaded on member I62 on each side of plate I68. Three shafts I12 each having one of its ends rigidly secured to plate I58, extend perpendicularly aft therefrom. The other ends of shafts I 12 are threaded and extend through aperture I13 in plate I68. A helical compression spring -I 14 is positioned around each of the shafts I 12 in a pre-loaded condition between plates I58 and I 68 and secured there by nuts I16 screwed on the threaded ends of shafts I12 on the aft side of plate I58. It is thus apparent that the end member I62 of the pressure line portion IE2 is resiliently mounted on bulkhead 24. JMember-IB2 has an annular male adapter I18 rigidly secured to its aft end. v

The portion I54 of pressure line 48 terminates at one of its ends in bead 34 while its other end terminates in a tubular member I80. Member I is rigidly secured by a bracket I82 to the underside of the cockpit carrier 20 and terminates at its forward end in a rigidly secured annular female adapter I84. Adapters I18 and I84 may be made of resilientmaterial such as rubber. and are designed so as to mate when brought together. Adapters. I18 and I84 are positioned so that then-the canopy M is fully closed, adapter I84 presses against adapter I18 in a manner which will cause adapter I18 and consequently member I82 and plate I68 to travel forward further compressing springs I". When the canopy is latched closed, springs H4 having been further compressed, will exert continuous pressure against plate 168 which will cause the adapters I18 and M4 to fit snugly within each other'and efiect a hermetic connection between the portions I52 andlii i of pressure line 48.

It is now apparent that this novel system can automatically effect a hermetic seal between the movable canopy section and the fuselage of an aircraft at any predetermined altitude. Likewise, this system canautomatically break the hermetic seal at any predetermined altitude enabling the canopy to be easily movable with a minimum of frictional resistance.

It will be evident that various modifications are possible in the arrangement and construe? tion of the components of the cockpit sealing system without departing from the scope of the invention as shown in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

What it is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an aircraft structure having an aperture communicating with an internal cavity: a closure for said aperture, a hollow expansible seal extending completely about said aperture and disposed between said closure and said structure; a source of gas under pressure; means for attaching said closure to said structure; tubing for conducting gas from said source to said hol low expansible seal whereby said seal expands to make an airtight joint between said closure and said structure, a valve in said tubingfor opening closing the same including a port having an inlet to said source of gas, a port having'a connection with said tubing, a vent to the atmosphereand a plunger having a gate for controlling the flow of gas through said valve, and an atmospheric pressure responsive means connected to said plunger for moving the same whereby gas is admitted from said source to said tubing through said valve ports to inflate the tubing to form a hermetic sealbetween said closure and said structure in response to a predetermined atmospheric pressure and whereby gas is vented'from said tubing through said vent to deflate said tubing'in response to said predetermined pressure after said tubing has been inflated.

2. 'A sealing means for an airplane sliding cockpit canopy comprising: 'a source of pressurized gas in said airplane having an outlet, a valve responsive to atmospheric pressure associated with said outlet for controlling the flow of gas therethrough, a hollow expansible bead between the edge of said canopy and the contiguous airplane surface and having a gas inlet, a pair of mating connectors one of which is mounted on said sliding canopy and connected with said inlet,a mounting plate on said airplane for the other of said connectors for positioning the same in the path of movement of the first-mentioned connector, said other of said connectors having a connection with said outlet, and a resilient support for said mounting plate whereby a hermetic connection is formed between said connectors when said canopy is closed permitting saidbead to be expanded by admission of said gas through said inlet to-form a'seal between said canopy and said airplane surface when said valve is opened in response to a predetermined atmospheric pressure.

3. A sealing means for an airplane sliding cockpit canopy comprising: a hollow expansible bead between the edge of said canopy and the contiguous airplane surface and having an inlet, a connector attachedto said sliding canopy and having a connection to said inlet, a source of pressurized gasin said airplane having an outlet, a connector'attached to said airplane in the path of the connector on said. sliding canopy and having a connection with said outlet, a valve in said outlet having a gate mounted on a plunger extending externally of said valve, means operative in response to'atmospheric pressure and operatively connected to said plunger for com trolling the flow 'of said gas through said outlet, and yielding mounting means for said connector on said airplane whereby said connectors constitute'a hermetic connection for the flow of said gas through said inlet'to said bead for the expansion of the same when said canopy is moved to a position where said connectors are in contact and said .valve is opened-in response to a predetermined atmospheric pressure.

'4. In a system of the character described: a fixed structure, a movable part movably attached to and cooperating with said'fixed structure, a source of gas under pressure having an outlet, an expansible tube around the periphery of said movable part having a connection with said outlet, valve means in said outlet, atmospheric pressure responsive means for operating said valve means for inflating saidtube thereby providing a hermetic seal between said movable part and said fixed structure, and means as sociated with said valve means and operated-by said atmospheric pressure responsive means for deflating said tube thereby breaking "said hermetic seal.

5. In a system of the character described: a fixed structure, a movable part designed to cooperate with said fixed structure, a source of gas under pressure, a hollow expansible tube attached to the periphery of said movable part, connecting means between said source and said tube, avalve in saidconnecting means having an externally extending operating plunger, meansconnected to said plungerand responsive to a predetermined-pressure diiferential for controlling the passage of said pressurized gas through said connecting means, and means for breaking and uniting said connecting means whereby, when united and when said valve responds to said predetermined pressure differential pressurized gas will inflate said tube forming a hermetic seal between said fixed structure and said movable part.

RICHARD C. HORNE.

DAVID STODDARD.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 754,467 Lombard Mar. 15, 1964 1,365,730 Sager Jan. 18, 1921 2,104,144 Zand Jan. 4, 1938 2,265,461 Wagner Dec. 9, 1941 2,361,298 Laddon Oct. 24, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 528,124 Great Britain Oct. 23, 1940 548,778 1 Great Britain Oct. 23, 1942 

